Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater, surface sediment, and marine organisms of Haizhou Bay in Yellow Sea, China: Distribution, source apportionment, and health risk assessment

Abstract

The pollution status of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seawater, surface sediment, and marine organisms was investigated in Haizhou Bay, which is a traditional marine fish farming region in China. The total concentrations of PAHs in seawater, surface sediment, and marine organisms were 12.4-40.3 ng/L (average 24.8 ng/L), 183.2-496.6 ng/g (average 293.5 ng/g), and 228.1-679.9 ng/g (average 392.6 ng/g), respectively. Source analysis results showed that the PAH sources for seawater and marine organisms were coal and biomass combustion (66.53%), petroleum (28.94%), and traffic (4.52%), while those for the surface sediment were traffic (48.14%), coal and biomass combustion (40.56%). The lifetime cancer risk increment (ILCR) values of marine organisms in the Haizhou Bay were less than 10^-6, indicating no carcinogenic risk. In the future, this study can be used as a reference to understand the distribution and interrelation of PAHs in other semi-enclosed bays in the world.

Keywords: Haizhou Bay; Health risk assessment; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Seawater–surface sediment–organisms; Source apportionment; Yellow Sea.